On November 8th, as part of the activities of the International Projects Committee at the JIA (Japan Institute of Architects) Chiba Convention, we were invited to guide VIPs from overseas around the town of Sawara, Chiba Prefecture. Our studio, Studio MYU architects, has been restoring the townscape and revitalizing historic buildings since 1996, when Sawara was designated a Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings. In 2025, we received the Architectural Institute of Japan Award for our achievements. Click here for more information.
The NPO Onogawa and Sawara Townscape Study Group created the video above. I’m sharing it because it’s very easy to understand the condition of the town scape. After walking around the townscape on November 8th, we plan to visit Yokuraya’s Okura. It’s an incredibly impressive building. I also found a video of this, so I’ve attached it below.